The announcement came Friday and represents Chevrolet’s first major Cup Series redesign since the debut of the Next Gen platform in 2022.
The car, which saw major praise from Rick Hendrick last week, retains the Camaro ZL1 name even though the production Camaro has been discontinued, and its new look draws from elements of Chevrolet’s Carbon Performance Package. The redesign focuses on competition updates rather than brand overhaul.
NASCAR said the new body style is intended to better mirror Chevrolet’s performance vehicles while also meeting the aerodynamic goals for the 2026 rules cycle.
According to Chevrolet, the new body includes a larger hood dome, updated front grille, and redefined rocker panels, mirroring the carbon-fiber components found in the Carbon Performance Package for the street-car version.
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This race car looks fast!
Introducing the 2026 @TeamChevy Camaro ZL1, coming to the NASCAR Cup Series next season. pic.twitter.com/JBaP8jy58c
The updated Camaro will debut at the Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium to open the 2026 season. After that, it will be the full-time body for Chevrolet teams such as Hendrick Motorsports, Richard Childress Racing, and Trackhouse Racing.
Chevrolet last introduced a new Cup body when the Camaro ZL1 1LE launched in 2020, followed by the Next Gen variant in 2022, making this the latest evolution in a lineage that began when the Camaro replaced the Chevy SS in 2018.
Chevrolet enters this update as the Cup Series’ winningest manufacturer, with more than 850 victories, and maintaining that level of performance is a major priority, especially as Ford and Toyota continue adjusting their own Next Gen bodies.
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Even with the production Camaro no longer in showrooms after 2024, Chevrolet’s decision to keep the Camaro nameplate in NASCAR signals how central the model remains to its racing identity.
Chevrolet won its fifth straight manufacturers championship this season, along with 15 victories and the 2025 Cup title with Kyle Larson.
Teams are expected to receive the new parts ahead of offseason testing, where the first data on the revised body will be gathered. Chevrolet says its engineers will continue working with NASCAR’s competition group to evaluate performance ahead of the season’s first points race.
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